Évariste Ndayishimiye, the president of Burundi, officially takes over the rotating chairperson of the African Union (AU) in 2026, while President John Dramani Mahama has been elected First Vice Chairperson.
At the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, President Ndayishimiye was elected to succeed François Lourenço of Angola.
The Assembly of Heads of State and Government for 2026 has appointed a new Bureau with representatives from each of the five African regions.
Ghana’s President Mahama serves as First Vice, representing West Africa, while Burundi takes the chair, representing Central Africa. Angola is the Rapporteur for Southern Africa, and Tanzania is the Second Vice for East Africa.
North Africa’s third vice has not yet been verified.
AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who spoke to the Assembly, structured the summit around the 2026 subject of water and sanitation, characterising water availability as a shared public good that is necessary for both peace and development.
The focus of the two-day summit is “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”
According to H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the meeting takes place during a period of growing geopolitical unrest that is characterised by enduring conflicts, weakened institutions, and a recurrence of unconstitutional transitions of government in some regions of the continent.
In keeping with Agenda 2063’s goal, he called on Member States to expedite political and economic integration in the face of waning multilateralism and growing global polarisation.
African solidarity, financial independence, and a united effort to influence the global agenda were all strongly urged by the Commission Chair.
President Mahama’s appointment as First Vice Chair means he will collaborate closely with the AU Chair to coordinate the continental body’s activities and advance its strategic aims until 2026.
Ghana has historically played an important role in AU politics, with former President John Kufuor serving as AU Chair in 2007.
Source: newsthemegh.com